Hood fastener



May 23; 1933. w. A. SCHUMANN v 3 5 HOOD FAsTENER Filed Feb. 10, 1931 INVENTOR or -W ATTO RN EYS sis.

Patented May 23, 1933 UE E EB STATES PATENT OFFICE HALTER A. SCHUMANN, F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE BADE-CUMMINS MFG. COMPANY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE HOOD FASTENER Application filed February 10, 1931. Serial No. 514,797.

The present invention pertains to a novel fastener for the hoods of automotive vehicles. Although described and claimed in connection with automobile hoods, the in vention is to be understood as being usefulas a fastener in other relations where a swinging closure member to be latched and unlatched, and the term hood as used in the specification and claims is intended to be representative of swinging closures generally.

The principal object of the invention 13 to provide a'latch or fastener carried by the hood or swinging closure, concealed at the inner side thereof, and operable by an eX- posed finger piece which. functions also as the member for raising the closure. In other words, by manipulation of a single finpiece, the latch is first released. and the closure member is then swung open.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple device of this character, constructed of comparativel; 5. all number of nexpensive parts and operating in a positive, effective and reliable manner.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section taken transversely through a portion of an automobile hood and showing the novel fastener. in elevation and in looking position;

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the fastener in the course of being released;

Fig. 3 is a similar section showing the fastener entirely released; and

Fig. t is an elevation of the fastener at right angles to Figure 1.

Referenceto these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

In Figure 1 is illustrated a fixed frame member 1 of an automobile body, such one of the sills extending lengthwise of the chas- The outer edge of the member 1 is engaged by the lower or free end of a swinging hood panel 2 hinged on a substantially horizontal. axis between the radiator and the cowl of the automobile in the manner currently employed and well. known in the art.

To the inner surface of the member 2 is secured a guide bracket 3 having an upper flange 4 and a lower flange 5 extending inwardly therefrom. A latch rod 6 is slidable through the flanges in a generallylengthwise direction, but it will be seen in Figure 2 that the lower flange has somewhat elongated slot 7 which permits a swinging movement of the latch rod as will presently appear. A hooked foot 8 is rigidly secured to the rod member and may for practical purposes be considered as an integral part of the rod, or the rod and foot together may be said to constitute a latch bolt. This hooked end is adapted for engagement witha latch coupling member or pin 9 fixed relatively to the frame 1 in any suitable manner, as by means of an angular bracket 10 secured to the frame and carrying the pin 9 as shown more clearly in Figure. 4.

The rod. is surrounded by a coil spring 11 bearing against the lower flange of the bracket 3 and against the stop pin 12 passed through the rod. Beneath the spring, the rod 6 is slidably surrounded by a shoe 13 which slidably engages the angular flange 5 of the bracket 3.

To the lower end piece 8 is pivotally attached a rocker or operating member in the form of a lever of the first class. One por tion of this member passes through a slot 2 in the hood 2 and is formed as an operating finger piece 14: exteriorly of the hood. The inner portion 15 has a sloped end 16 engaging the pin 9 at the surface thereof nearer the hood 2.

In the use of the device, assuming that the latch is engaged as in Figure 1, an upward pull on the finger piece 14. tends to pry the hooked end 8 off the pin 9 as shown in Figure 2.

During this movement prior to the swinging of the hood, the latch rod is swung in the slot 7 towards the hood as may be seen in Figure 2. As the upward pull on the finger piece 14 is continued, the hooked end 8 is entirely released from the pin 9 as shown in Figure 3, and a continuation of the upward pull raises the hood.

In the closing action, the hood is first lowered by gravity into engagement with the .frame member 2. Downward pressure on the finger piece 14; lowers the latch rod and brings the hook 8 thereof into engagement with the coupling member 9 as shown in Figure 1, where the latch is held in engaging position by the pressure of the spring 11. Because of the sliding engagement between the shoe 13 and flange 5, the spring 11 draws the hood panel 2 inwardly against the member 1 in addition to maintainingengagement between the hook 1.7 and pin 9..

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the in vention, as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A hood. fastener comprising guide means adapted for attachment to a hood, a latch bolt slidable therein, a fixed coupling member engageable by said belt, a spring tending to pull said bolt into engagement with said member, and an operating member pivoted to said bolt and extending through said hood, said bolt and. operating member engaging opposite sides of said cou pling member, said operating member having its inner portion adapted to pry said bolt oil said coupling member.

2. A hood fastener comprisin g guide means adapted for attachment to a hood, a latch bolt slidable therein, a fixed coupling member engageable by said bolt, a spring tending to pull said bolt into engagement with said men'iber, a rocker member pivoted to said bolt and extending through said hood, said bolt and said rocker member engaging opposite sides of said coupling member, said rocker member having its inner portion adapted to pry said bolt off said coupling member and its outer portion formed as a finger piece. 7

8. A hood fastener comprising a guide bracket adapted for attachment to a hood, a latch bolt slidable in said bracket, a fixed coupling member engageable by'said bolt, a spring bearing against said bracket and tending to pull said bolt'into engagement with said member, and a rocker member pivoted to said bolt and extending through said hood, said bolt and said rocker member engaging opposite sides of said coupliir member, said rocker member having it inner portion adapted to pry said bolt off said coupling member and its outer portion formed as a finger piece.

4. A hood fastener comprising a guide bracket adapted for attachment to a hood, a latch bolt mounted for sliding and swinging movement in said bracket, a fixed coupling member engageable by said bolt, a spring bearing against said bracket and tending to pull said bolt into engagement with said member, and a rocker member pivoted to said bolt and extending through said hood, said bolt and said rocker member engaging opposite sides of said coupling member, said rocker member having its inner portion adapted to pry said bolt off said coupling member and its outer portion formed as a finger piece.

A hood fastener comprising guide means adapted "for attachment to a hood, a latch bolt slidable therein, a fixed coupling member engageable by said bolt, a spring tending to pull said bolt into engagement with said member, a rigid rocker member pivoted to said bolt as a lever of the first class and extending through said hood, said bolt and said rocker member engaging oppos' e sides of said coupling member, said rocker member having its inner end engaging said coupling member at the surface nearer said hood and being adapted to pry .iid bolt oi? said coupling member.

6. it hood fastener comprising a guide bracket adapted for attachment to a hood and having an angular flange, a latch bolt lidable in said bracket, a fixed coupling member engageaole by said bolt, a spring tending to pull said bolt into engagement with said member, a shoe slidably surrounding said bolt and slidably engaging said iange under the influence of said spring and adapted to draw said bracket inwardly with respect to the device on which the bracket mounted, and an operating member pivoted to said bolt, and extending through said hood, said operating member being adapted to disengage said bolt from said coupling member.

7. A hood fastener comprising a guide bracket adapted for attachment to a hood and having a dange extending inwardly and upwardly of such hood, a latch bolt slidable in said bracket, a fixed coupling member engageable by said bolt, a spring tending to pull said bolt into engagement with said 7 memb 3, a shoe slidably surrounding said bolt and slidably bearing upon said flange under the influence'of said spring, whereby to draw said bracket inwardly with respect to the device on which the bracket is mounted, and an operating member pivoted to said bolt and extending through said hood, said operating member being adapted to disengage said bolt from said coupling member.

in testimony whereof I aflix my signature WALTER a. SCHUM'ANN. 

